The violence of silence

Silence. Silence is meant to be peaceful, to be relaxing, and to be healing. It’s the cocoon to protect yourself from the chaos. The warm blanket keeping you safe from the frigid world. But just like with everything else we have learnt to misuse it. We have learn to use it to punish, to hurt, and to destroy.

The virulence of silence can be underestimated because it is invisible, inaudible and incomprehensible. Silence is not being the better person. Silence is not giving other person some space. Silence isn’t an offer of peace. It is an attack. An attack that one cannot defend themselves from. An attack that is relentless whether you are around or not. An attack that you can inflict from the other side of the planet. It is the most cowardly of all attacks.

But not speaking is not the only way to hurt someone with your silence. Not doing anything when you see someone doing something wrong is also a silence. Your complicity is deafening. It is screaming your guilt. A silent bystander is just another attacker. You didn’t choose to stay away from trouble. Your silence chose to be a part of it.

But the most virulent form of silence has to be ghosting. That sudden and complete silence can suck the life out of people. They are lost, confused, and betrayed. They don’t have any answers so they start questioning themselves. They can’t express their anger towards you so they turn on themselves. They can’t forgive you so they learn to hate themselves.

Silence is more powerful than you imagine. Don’t use silence to silence others. Don’t be that asshole.